Rediff

Mysore, Apr 13: The controversy over Infosys chairman and chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy's remarks on the national anthem issue on Friday snowballed with Karnataka police registering a case against him and the state government condemning them as an 'unpardonable offence.'

The Mysore City police registered the case against Murthy under section 3 of the Insult to National Honour Act on the basis of a complaint lodged by an advocate.

"The case, registered as a non-cognizable offence, is under investigation," Karnataka Home Minister M P Prakash told the Karnataka Assembly.

The Karnataka government described Murthy's remarks as an 'unpardonable offence.'

"It is an unpardonable offence. There is no need for Murthy to make a statement that instrumental version of the national anthem had to be played to avoid embarrassment to foreigners in his Mysore Global Training campus," Prakash said.

He, however, said there was no 'insult' to the national anthem at the function held in the Infosys Mysore Campus on April 8 which was attended by President A P J Abdul Kalam.

The controversy arose following a statement made by Murthy at a press meet he addressed later at which he defended the playing of instrumental version of the national anthem to avoid embarrassment to foreigners present at the function, he said.